Grilling Chicken

So this is where it all began:  me, the grill and chicken, compliments of my Dad.  (see Grilling post for a little more background on this).

I have tried many, many times to grill a delicious chicken breast but have only succeeded a few times.  I now only grill thighs and drumsticks.   The chicken breast  needs to be the same approximate size as your thighs and most chicken breasts are these humongous things, not really suited for grilling perfectly.  So for now, it is only thighs and drumsticks for me:  they are always juicy and tender done on the grill.  If you have a butcher or access to one ask for a fryer chicken cut up into 1/8ths with the backbone removed from the breast. Or if you can find just chicken breasts that are the size of the thigh, please include.  Just keep the number of pieces between 8 and 9.

My ultimate goal is to cut up a fryer myself.  I have been taught the procedure in one of the CIA classes I took but it was really sloppy and not really grillable.  I need more practice.

I like Bell and Evans Chicken and would prefer to use them always but most of the time I use Perdue brand chicken.  The only chicken I absolutely do not use is Tyson.  I cooked them once and it tasted like fish, maybe it’s what they feed them?  I don’t know, but I have been tainted, so I never use that brand.

My father always used a disposable aluminum pan to cook his chicken on, like this:  Hefty EZ Foil Cookie Sheets and so do I.   If these are impossible to find, then I have in a pinch, taken a not so nice rimmed cookie sheet and encased it in heavy-duty aluminum foil.

The only tools you absolutely need, is nice long tongs, to turn the chicken and a second timer:  this could be your microwave timer but this is my favorite second timer.  This way I can stay outside on the deck with my chicken, have a nice drink, maybe look through one of my new food magazines or chat with my daughter on the phone.  Not completely necessary but it will make your chicken grilling experience more enjoyable.

Here we go:

Grilled Chicken

8-9 pieces of chicken, thighs and drumsticks  and breasts if you can get the right size, with bones and skin

1 Hefty EZ Foil Cookie Sheet

Canola Oil Spray

Salt and Pepper

Prep the grill:

On my grill, this is the procedure: (but please read your manual FIRST!)   OPEN THE HOOD (If the propane tank is not open, open it), put the front burner knob on high and ignite with the push button ignition.  You should hear it ignite.  Then turn the other knob(s) on high as well.  You should hear them ignite too.  Once all the burner(s) have ignited and you can see the flame (there is also a little peep-hole in the front of the grill, that when you look into, you can see the flames in the inside as well) close the hood and leave closed for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes open the hood and with your brush clean the grates. You don’t have to be too fussy because your chicken is not going directly on the grates.

Put the chicken packages in the sink.  Place the Hefty EZ Foil Cookie Sheet next to the sink and spray heavily with the Canola Oil spray.  When you think you have sprayed enough, spray one more time.  Unwrap the chicken in the sink and place chicken parts on cookie sheet.  Throw out  the chicken packages.  Wash sink with soap and water and your hands.  Sprinkle the chicken pretty heavily with salt and sprinkle a little less heavily with pepper.

Place the pan of chicken on the grate of the grill and turn the heat down to two notches below high on all burners.  Put one timer on for 25 minutes and the other timer on for 5 minutes.  Close hood.  After 5 minutes, turn the chicken carefully (sometimes if there is not enough canola spray on the pan, the skin will stick, so be gentle) and sprinkle this side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Then re-set the timer for 5 minutes. Continue to turn  every 5 minutes (no more salt and pepper) until your one timer goes off after the 25 minutes, finish whatever is on your 5 minute timer.  Place chicken on a platter.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes and then serve.

If you would like to apply a barbecue sauce (I used this:  Neelys BBQ Sauce, it was good, I enjoyed it.  On the sweet side) put it on the last 5 minutes of grilling.

Make sure to turn off your grill.

sprayed Hefty EZ Foil Cookie Sheet:

optional rimmed cookie sheet encased in heavy duty aluminum foil and sprayed with canola oil spray:

chicken in sink:

chicken on pans with first sprinklings of salt and pepper:

setting for burners on your grill:

chicken on the grill:

set-up for what you need (BBQ sauce in bowl under cover/brush):

first turn with more salt and pepper:

five minutes before chicken done, can apply BBQ sauce if using now:

ready to be served: